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Oyo State Government and IBEDC Lock Horns Over Unpaid Debt

IBEDC

The Oyo state government has sealed off offices of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company after the IBEDC disconnected the state secretariat power supply for unpaid bills.

The IBEDC has condemned the government’s action describing it as an unfair show of power and arm-twisting tactics instead of paying the outstanding bill totaling $450 million owed to the disco.

On the contrary, the Oyo State government has said in a statement that its action to seal off some of the IBEDC offices was not a form of retaliation but was due to the IBEDC’s refusal to pay tax revenue to the tune of $400 million owed to the state over the past two years.

The Chief Operating Officer of the IBEDC, John Ayodele said that the company had made several failed attempts to get the government to settle its debt which is spread across a period of three years. In his statement addressing the situation, Ayodele said;

“The management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) hereby informs its esteemed customers of the retaliatory and illegal action of Oyo State Government over the issue of its huge indebtedness.

“This issue of revenue bills and personal income arising now is quite suspicious. Oyo State Government is owing IBEDC a whopping consumption outstanding of N450 million for over a period of three years.”

“No business in this country can run successfully with such a huge outstanding. The power we distribute to customers must be accounted for and paid for. We have no choice but to disconnect the Oyo State secretariat. So, it is worrisome to see that the government has sealed off our offices with this underhand and arm-twisting tactics instead of paying the debt owed.”

“This was not done in good faith and it would have a damaging effect on the business and service delivery to our customers.”

Oyo State Responds To The IBEDC’s Claim

The Oyo state government issued a response to the IBEDC’s claims through a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun.

Without admitting whether or not the state was indeed owing a debt to the IBEDC, the Commissioner said that a high court order was obtained to seal IBEDC’s offices due to its refusal to pay bills issued by the board of internal revenue services.

“It is important for everyone to remember that it is the duty of all, individuals and businesses, to pay taxes and levies,”  Olatubosum said. “Without these payments, the government cannot provide basic necessities and perform necessary functions. Therefore, IBEDC like any other business interest, should do the needful and meet its revenue obligations. This is the stand of the government and we seek the understanding of the people not to be misled by those who trade in falsehood.”

Read Also: ABSU Bans Students From Driving Personal Cars To Campus

The state IRS Chairman, Mr. Femi Awakan in another statement said that the state had applied for the warrant in order to enforce payment of its tax. “It is to be noted that the IBEDC has a statutory obligation to deduct and remit revenue bills to the government of Oyo State through the Board of Internal Revenue,” Awakan said.

“It is also to be noted that the distribution company failed to remit personal income tax of its employees within the period under review and that the Board of Internal Revenue several times served requisite demand notices calling attention to the company’s tax liabilities/obligations.”

The management of the IBEDC has called on the governor, Seyi Makinde to step into the situation in order to ease power challenges already being faced by residents and businesses across the state.

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Donald Trump Wins US Presidential Elections, defeats Kamala Harris

Donald Trump has won the US presidential election after securing the over 270 Electoral College (EC) votes required to emerge victorious.

As of this report, Trump has secured 279 EC votes, while his main challenger, incumbent Vice President Kamala Harris, has secured 223 votes.

Mr Trump is also ahead in the popular vote count, securing over 71 million votes to Mrs Harris’s over 66 million.

This election is the first since 2004 in which a Republican presidential candidate will secure more popular votes than a Democratic Party candidate, indicating Mr Trump’s solid performance and Mrs Harris’s sub-par performance.

“America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate,” Mr Trump told a jubilant crowd in Florida Wednesday morning.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Mr Trump had already won in four of the seven crucial Swing states – North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – and was ahead in the remaining three – Michigan, Nevada, and Arizona – BBC reports.

Apart from winning the presidential election, the Republican Party also took control of the US Senate for the first time in four years and maintained its hold of the House.

Several world leaders, including Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, have congratulated Mr Trump on his victory.

According to President Tinubu, Mr Trump’s victory reflects the trust and confidence the American people have placed in his leadership, the president’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, wrote in a statement.

President Tinubu believes that, given President Trump’s experience as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021, his return to the White House as the 47th president will usher in an era of earnest, beneficial, and reciprocal economic and development partnerships between Africa and the United States, he added.

“Together, we can foster economic cooperation, promote peace, and address global challenges that affect our citizens,” the Nigerian leader was quoted as saying.

Many other leaders posted their congratulatory messages on X, the social media platform whose owner, Elon Musk, was one of the main campaigners for Mr Trump.

“Ready to work together as we did for four years. With your convictions and mine, with respect and ambition. For more peace and prosperity,” French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X.

“For a long time, Germany and the U.S. have been working together successfully promoting prosperity and freedom on both sides of the Atlantic,” wrote German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on X. “We will continue to do so for the wellbeing of our citizens.”

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Nigerian Chief Of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja Dies At 56

Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, has died at the
age of 56, according to a state house press statement. Lt. General Lagbaja passed away on Tuesday night in Lagos following an illness, as announced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

President Tinubu expressed profound sadness over the loss of a “dedicated servant
of the nation” whose military career spanned over three decades.

Lt. General Lagbaja, born on February 28, 1968, was appointed Chief of Army Staff on June 19, 2023. His service history includes numerous leadership roles in critical security operations such as Operation ZAKI in Benue, Lafiya Dole in Borno, and Forest Sanity across
Kaduna and Niger States. A distinguished alumnus of the U.S. Army War College with a Master’s in Strategic Studies, Lt. General Lagbaja was recognized for his strategic acumen.

Lt. General Lagbaja is survived by his beloved wife, Mariya, and their two children. President Tinubu expresses his heartfelt condolences to the family and the Nigerian Armed Forces during this difficult time. The president wishes Lt. General Lagbaja eternal peace and honors his significant contributions to the nation.

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EFCC Detains Former Governor Of Delta State Ifeanyi Okowa

okowa sacks Latimore Oghenesivbe

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have detained a former governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, for the alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion of the 13 percent derivation fund from the Federation Account between 2015 and 2023.

A source close to proceedings says that Mr Okowa was detained on Monday, 4 November, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when he reported at the Port Harcourt Directorate of the EFCC on the invitation of investigators handling his matter.

The former governor allegedly failed to account for the funds and another N40 billion he allegedly claimed to have used to acquire shares in the UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas.

Mr Okowa allegedly bought N40 billion worth of shares in one of the major banks in Nigeria, representing eight percent equity, to float the offshore LNG.

The funds were allegedly used for other purposes. The anti-graft agency is also investigating the former governor’s alleged diversion of funds to acquire estates in the nation’s capital, Abuja, and Asaba in Delta State.

He is being held at the EFCC holding facility in Port Harcourt.When contacted on Monday evening, the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed Mr Okowa’s detention but declined to give details.

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